Keeping up with beefy Bryce
Peers size-up Dechambeau’s long game
They might not be ready to drink 10 protein shakes per day, but some of the world’s best golfers are trying to copy Bryson Dechambeau’s mega distance off the tee.
The beefy U. S. Open champ famously overhauled his body and golf swing in a gamble to create a massive competitive edge over the field and bring PGA Tour courses to their knees. The gamble paid off for Dechambeau with his first major championship victory last month at Winged Foot and seven top 10s in 12 events since June’s restart. He’s fifth in the world rankings.
Golf ’s man of the hour isn’t in Las Vegas this week for the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek, but most of his top rivals are (minus world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who tested positive for COVID-19, and Tiger Woods). At least a few of them seem ready to gamble for increased distance off the tee.
“What I want to do is at least know that I have it if I need it,” Rory Mcilroy said Wednesday. “I’m not going to try to do it all the time, I’m not trying to get my ball speed into the 190s every time I hit a driver, but at least I know that if I need to do it, I can do it.”
And, apparently, Rory can do it.
The four- time major champ and world No. 4 recently posted a photo on social media showing him reach a swing speed of 190 miles per hour for the first time, hitting a drive that carried 357 yards. In the three weeks since the U. S. Open, he’s worked on getting his swing speed up into the Bryson-zone.
To that end, the Northern Irishman has been speed training in the gym and has switched from a 75- gram shaft in his driver to one closer to 60 g.
He said the switch in shaft weight had more to do with improving swing mechanics but also noted that the lighter shaft helps with swing speed.
“You know, sort of experimenting with the last couple weeks, it’s the fastest I’ve ever moved the club, the fastest my body’s ever moved,” Mcilroy said. “So yeah, I think it’s the way the game’s going.”
Mcilroy pointed out on Wednesday that players have been chasing distance for generations and that
Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods both used length off the tee as a distinct advantage early in their careers. But copying Dechambeau’s workout regimen won’t be easy, and could be impossible, for most players.
“I don’t know how Bryson does it every day,” Mcilroy said. “You hit drivers really hard one day and you sort of have to back off for a couple days and do it again. It seems like he’s got a lot of robustness in that body that he can keep doing it day after day.”
One aspect of the modern game’s quest for distance that is sure to make traditionalists shake their head is that Mcilroy says that while you’re training your body to swing faster, you also have to train your mind that, at least for a while, the ball’s direction doesn’t much matter.
“Bryson, when he speed trains, he just hits the ball into a net, so he doesn’t really know where it’s going.” Mcilroy said.
“He’s just trying to move as fast as he can, and it’s trying to get your body used to moving that way and sort of making the target irrelevant for a time being and then you can sort of try to bring it in from there.”
World No. 3 Justin Thomas has also been toying with unlocking some extra power in his game.
“I have messed around with some stuff for me,” Thomas said. “I mean, I just want some more speed. I feel like I’ve been good at having another gear, another 5 or 10 yards if I need it, but I don’t necessarily have that other 20.”
He, too, is interested to know what untapped power he has, but doesn’t seem prepared to go all-in like DeChambeau.
“This is not disrespectful to Bryson, I’m not going to put on 40 pounds. I don’t have the height to do that,” the 5- foot- 8 Thomas said. “I’m going to look like a beach ball if I put on 40 pounds.”
it seems like he’s got a lot of robustness in that body that he can keep (driving) every day.
BROOKS IS BACK
Brooks Koepka makes his return from injury at this week’s CJ Cup after missing the PGA Tour playoffs and the U. S. Open with a torn labrum in his hip.
The four- time major champion and former No. 1 has fallen to 11th in the world rankings and was asked how much the injury had affected his mixed results through 13 events in 2020.
“It’s the whole reason I played like crap,” Koepka said.
He said Tuesday that he began hitting balls about 10 days ago with no limitations and he feels “a million times better.” Koepka also said if the hip gets worse, it will mean surgery and a ninemonth recovery.
As for what he would consider a good week here in Las Vegas? Take a guess.
“Winning,” he said.